St. Luke's Health-The Vintage Hospital officials announced a new chief nursing officer and director of operations is have been selected in a Jan. 5 news release.

The details: Hospital officials said Jennifer Cook was selected as the chief nursing officer and Lee Wright as the director of operations at the location in Vintage Park.

In their words: "We are delighted to recognize the outstanding contributions and proven leadership of Jennifer Cook and Lee Wright," said Elizabeth Ortega, president of St. Luke's Health-The Vintage Hospital. "Their dedication to our mission, combined with their extensive experience, will be instrumental in driving our continued success and ensuring the highest quality of care for our community."

McDonald's has plans to construct a new location along the Grand Parkway in 2027, a Dec. 19 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows.

The details: While the exact address is unknown as of press time, the 4,310-square-foot McDonald's is set to open near the intersection of Birnham Woods Drive and the Grand Parkway and will include a dual lane drive-thru, per the filing. 

Stay tuned: Construction is expected to begin Jan. 1, 2027 and wrap up in June, according to the project registration. Details submitted to TDLR are subject to change. 

• Grand Parkway and Birnham Woods Drive

Texas charter system Harmony Public Schools launched a new virtual learning platform on Jan. 5 that allows students across the state to take high school courses online.

The overview: The Harmony Online Learning program includes dozens of courses aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards, all of which are self-paced, according to a news release.

More details: Students can choose from dozens of courses in core subjects, electives, Advanced Placement and Career and Technical Education, according to the program’s website. The offerings aim to help students complete credit recovery, get ahead with their requirements and access courses not available at their home campus. Credit earned through Harmony may be applied toward high school graduation requirements depending on local district policies, per the release.

One more thing: Interested families can enroll online, and spring courses begin Jan. 12, per the release. The cost of tuition per course is $325, a spokesperson from Harmony Public Schools told Community Impact.

Six major roadway projects are being planned, are underway or will kick off soon across the Greater Houston area.

Upcoming projects
1. Mykawa Road widening
Project: Construction on Mykawa Road will consist of roughly 3 miles of a four-lane divided boulevard with storm drainage, signals, lighting, landscaping and a 10-foot shared-use path, among other features.
Update: 90% of design submittals have been received and are being reviewed by Pearland city staff and the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT is bidding, constructing and managing the project.

• Timeline: construction slated to start in 2028 with a completion in 2030
• Cost: $21.4 million

• Timeline: Construction will begin in early 2026.
• Cost: $40,000 (design)